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Friday, November 29, 2013

It's Friday evening and I just got a disco nap in after unintentionally participating in some Black Friday shopping. I needed shoes, a massage, and Grossmont Center wasn't too crazy, so it worked. I know there are politics behind a Sea World membership, but all of their passes are $25 off this weekend, too, so you can grab an annual Fun Pass for $59 and I had to indulge. I'm working at The Irenic tonight and there are plenty of tickets left for Polar Bear Club, so drop by and see me, or if you're braving Tijuana, wear some comfy shoes that account for possible rain and beer spillage. The holiday was great and we still have a full weekend of music, fun, and Chargers beertending ahead of us. Weekend listings after the jump.

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

The night before Thanksgiving is loaded with music options everywhere including San Diego. Might I suggest heading to Soda Bar for Nightlands, the project of Philadelphia based artist David Hartley. Oak Island (sophomore album) was recently released via Secret Canadian, and features synths and vocals evoking a dreamlike state. This is bedroom pop which is very easy on the ears. David also spends time as the bassist for the popular band The War on Drugs. Nightlands is a well conceived departure from that band, showing the creative side of Mr. Hartley. The current tour is a solo one, so he will "lay bare the arrangements that he spent so long weaving into intricate webs".

Tickets to Nightlands , StaG, and Jeans Wilder this Wednesday at Soda Bar can be purchased here.

Some of you may have seen my post on Facebook or maybe you already heard elsewhere, but this is for the rest of you. Balboa Park is finally offering annual passes! With the Centennial coming in 2015, it seems about time that Balboa Park caters more to residents and not just to tourists. Yes, we've enjoyed Free Tuesdays, but they're crazy now, with herds of people, school field trips, and strollers jamming into museums during their already limited hours on a one time a month rotating basis. Forget about it if you work a day job. And Balboa Park had multi-museum passes targeting tourists, but they're expensive. I use my San Diego Zoo pass almost weekly...sometimes I want to commit to a whole day, sometimes I just need some time to think and take a ride in the Skyfari, and most of the time I'm there for some fresh air, exercise, and sunshine for a couple hours. Now that Balboa Park is offering Explorer passes, I can pop into a museum anytime and for any length of time and feel like I'm getting my money's worth.

You can also buy Gift Vouchers and knock out your Christmas shopping in a few clicks!

So anyway, here's the deal. You buy annual membership, you get general admission to all of the following museums for 365 days from the date of purchase:

San Diego Museum of Man
The San Diego Museum of Art
the NAT (San Diego Natural History Museum)
Centro Cultural de la Raza
Japanese Friendship Garden
Mingei International Museum
Museum of Photographic Arts
Reuben H. Fleet Science Center
San Diego Air and Space Museum
San Diego Art Institute-Museum of the Living Artist
San Diego Automotive Museum
San Diego Hall of Champions Sports Museum
San Diego History Center
San Diego Model Railroad Museum
Timken Museum of Art
Veterans Museum and Memorial Center
World Beat Center

Pricing:
Adult $129 ~ ages 18 and up
Student $99 ~ valid for full time students with valid ID
Senior $99 ~ ages 65 and up with valid ID
Family $199 ~ Valid for up to 6 family members (up to two adults/up to four children ages 3-17. Additional children are $25 each)

And since I went into the Visitor's Center to purchase my pass today, I'll say that if you can wait the 5-7 days for your cards, just order online. If you want to go to museums immediately, go in the office, they'll have you purchase online at their old computers, and they'll give you printed booklets valid for one week with a single pass for each museum. The employees/docents/volunteers are extremely courteous, but the Explorer passes were just announced last week, so they're overwhelmed. If you can wait, just buy your own passes online.

The U-T apparently misprinted and said a family pass was up to 4 adults and 4 children. Not so. "Children" are ages 3-17, so your infants and toddlers are fine (though if they're turning three within a year, you'll want to get them their own cards). Adults are 18+. If your "child" is actually an adult, they might qualify for the student pass, or as your second adult, but otherwise will require a full adult pass for $129. In the short time I was in the office, you wouldn't believe how many people were already gaming the system. They don't question your "family" unit, but don't try and work them.

Lastly, many of the museums offer gift shop discounts and special mailers, events and newsletters to their members. The Explorer Card does NOT give any of the perks- no discounts, special exhibits, private event invites, guest passes, etc. If you have the dough, support your favorite museum or museums individually. This is for people who live on the cheap like me, and once you get over that initial purchase, you can be broke as a joke and still always have a place to go. I can't wait to take our first bike outing to museum hop with my little familial unit.

My friends at Cantaloop Media are keeping busy south of the border. While we have a great music scene in San Diego, they're working feverishly to curate the same in Tijuana and I have to say, it's a bit cooler, edgier, with a DIY aesthetic, a feeling of community, and free from some of the limits we have here. Throw in a combination event with Turista Libre, and Friday night in Tijuana seems like a no-brainer. (An extra plug that Darren's Van will be working, so if you and your friends need to get from North Park, South Park, Downtown or wherever to and from the border, he's your guy.) Get your passports and head south!

I didn't think I'd be updating much this week, but there's a lot going on so expect a couple more posts from me before I totally check out. I'm looking forward to spending the day at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park with Darren and Nova (though I appreciate all the day trip recommendations I received on Facebook) and Thanksgiving is shaping up to be a great one with m whole family around for the holiday. There's a lot of internet commotion about Black Friday and where to shop and protesting stores that are open on Thanksgiving. I'm not going to jump into the fray because I've certainly appreciated Clem's being open in the past when I realized I needed heavy whipping cream and whatnot, but I'm here to tell you that Wednesday is traditionally one of the most fun bar nights of the year, but plenty of our local stomps are open on Thanksgiving, which is great after you've had your family time, but remember that your bartenders are working. They're away from their own families so you can get your buzz. They still have to wash glasses and clean up and shut down after you're happily passed out. Spend frivolously and tip generously and you can truly #supportlocal. Wednesday through Sunday listings are after the jump.

Sunday, November 24, 2013

It's Sunday night and the Chargers won today, so hopefully San Diegans are ready for a lovely Thanksgiving week ahead. Darren's working tonight, so hit him up if you need him, but in the meantime, I decided I'd take the heat off of Jordan and just knock out the listings through the weekend so you can get perspective on the week ahead. I'm with Zane again tomorrow so I'm not sure if it's going to be a pajama night or if I might venture out, and this week should be awesome with Nova off from school, and the first Bystrak Thanksgiving in years with all the kids present (since my brother has now been stationed here). Needless to say, my parents are thrilled. I hope you get a holiday amond family and friends and people you love and who love you. Monday and Tuesday archives are after the jump.

Friday, November 22, 2013

It has been a really good week- Chvrches and John Vanderslice were awesome, plus I had some fun time painting at Ceramic Cafe, hiking at Presidio Park, going to the Zoo, splashing in rain puddles, and just hanging out enjoying days with Darren and Nova, but I have a small bone to pick. The other day, a "friend" of mine suggested that I'm "paid to party" and I don't know about work. I had a lot of time to think about that when I was pulling an all-nighter on Monday night and then again on Tuesday as I caught up on work so that I could spend my days with Darren and Nova and prepare for babysitting Zane for 14 hours on Thursday and all day again on Friday. I guess when people see me at shows or having drinks or my social media posts filter out the lame and tedious stuff and just focus on time at parks or the Zoo or shows or events or spending time with my little familial unit, it might appear my life is a big party. But I consider myself fortunate to have found a way to eke out a living doing things I love, and if that means hours of email and online time while the rest of the world is asleep or slinging band merch or babysitting or making a hundred Facebook event pages, it's all so I don't have to go back to the bullshit corporate life I once lead. Everyone does what they have to do, and I don't knock anyone for what they do to get by or get ahead if that's where their ambitions lay, but I will cut a "friend" for being judgmental about how I spend my time. Good riddance, ya jerk.Weekend archives are after the jump.

Thursday, November 21, 2013

The name Judith Hill should be a familiar one to those who watch realty television show The Voice. Judith fared well during last year's competition, and has embarked on the latest chapter in her career, that of a touring musician. The biggest difference is that this time she will not be in the role of a backup singer, but rather will be the lead. Currently touring with Josh Groban, Judith has a headlining show downtown at the House of Blues (intimate 5th Ave side stage) on Saturday November 30.

In 2009 Miss Hill was chosen to be none other than Michael Jackson's duet partner for This Is It. His untimely death resulted in the cancellation of the tour, while Judith sang at the memorial service. The documentary 20 Feet From Stardom features a long list of performers including Judith. Her powerful voice is rooted in soul, r&b and pop, while the training and experience as a back up singer has readied her for the limelight.

Tickets to see Judith Hill at the House of Blues on November 30 can be purchased here. This is an all ages show.

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Jeff already previewed tonight's show at Soda Bar, but we got set times. Bent Shapes will go on at 9, and John Vanderslice will play at 10pm. I love this guy and you should definitely check him out. I thought I'd share some old videos from 2007 when he performed at M-Theory and also unplugged on the Casbah smoking patio.

Monday, November 18, 2013

John Vanderslice is one of the more interesting musicians in the indie rock world. He recently became independent in his life, ending a long term relationship, and in his music, breaking free from record labels. The latter makes perfect sense, since John is also the owner of Tiny Telephone, a recording studio in San Francisco. Long term relationships with Barsuk Records and more recently Dead Oceans were positive and have paved the way for the current musical chapter in his career. In fact, he self-released two albums this year, Dagger Beach (original) and Diamond Dogs (Bowie covers) via Kickstarter. At last count this makes a total of eleven albums, or about one per year. By today's standards, that is a prolific amount of recorded material. As far as his music is concerned, John certainly wears his emotions on his sleeve. Lyrics are very personal and political, revealing a musician who is willing to take risks which tend to be calculated. His performances are always satisfying, with the ability to connect with the audience never being in doubt.

If you have not seen John Vanderslice perform live, this Wednesday is your next opportunity. This is a Casbah Presents show at Soda Bar, tickets can be purchased in advance here. Boston's Bent Shapes set the stage.

Listen to a few tracks from Dagger Beach below (courtesy of SoundCloud).

So I don't think I've been in my house for so many hours in a weekend as long as I've lived here. I got a bad cold and besides going out for soup a few times with Darren, my weekend pretty much involved me in bed. Hopefully the worst is over because this week has so much amazing music and Nova has short days at school and I've got some babysitting at the end of the week. So yeah, ef you, cold. I'm done with you. Monday through Thursday archives are after the jump.

Saturday, November 16, 2013

Montreal is known for being home to arguably the most popular indie rock band today. Another band hailing from the French Canadian city that have been nominated for the Polaris Music Prize (twice) but have forged a much different path are The Besnard Lakes. The brainchild of husband and wife (Jace Lasek and Olga Goreas), the group tours as a quartet. Their fourth album, Until in Excess, Imperceptible UFO (Jagjaguwar), continues in the shoegaze, psychedelic rock vein. A key ingredient to the band's sound is their overall sense of creating songs which contain pop elements. This is what separates these Canadians from their peers. In addition, Lasek owns a recording studio in Montreal, and his production experience translates well to his own project.

See one of Canada's best kept secrets, The Besnard Lakes, at the Casbah this Sunday, November 17. Fellow Canadians Elephant Stone set the stage. Tickets can be purchased here.

Friday, November 15, 2013

I'm sorry it has taken me so long to get weekend listings up. It was a super busy week with some awesome shows- Thee Oh Sees and Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin and Minor Alps were all great- plus I babysat Zane all day yesterday and we got a beach day in (in November!!). All week I had a little tickle in my throat and it finally caught up with me and I feel like shit. Darren's Van will be in full service all weekend, but looks like I won't be joining him, at least for tonight. Call Direct 619.990.5064 if you need him. As for me, I'm on the hunt for delicious chicken noodle soup or albondigas or sopa de res. Suggestions welcome.

Wild Child are a folk pop band from Austin, Texas. While well known back home, they are relatively unknown here in San Diego. The septet recently released their sophomore full length, The Runaround. Filled with catchy songs, banjos, and vocal harmonies throughout, it is easy to see why this band was quite the buzz at SXSW last spring.
Led by Kelsey Wilson (vocals, violin) and Alexander Beggins (vocals, ukulele), starting as a duo has now blossomed into a full fledged folk band. There is a certain synergy one feels when listening to their songs, ideal for a breezy afternoon drive or while sipping some wine on the front (or back) porch. Their first album, Pillow Talk, was released in 2010. This is a young band singing about love, loss and the emotions that are best expressed in music. While there are a growing number of bands in this genre, Wild Child work well as a cohesive unit, feet planted on firm ground ready to take on each chapter in their musical adventures.

Be sure to arrive early for Olympia based band indie pop LAKE. Tickets to tonight's show can be purchased here.

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Minor Alps is the name of the collaborative project featuring seasoned musicians Matthew Caws and Juliana Hatfield. Caws is the lead singer for New York band Nada Surf, while Hatfield has performed with Blake Babies, Some Girls and as a solo artist. Having worked together in the past, it seems like an ideal match for these two great singers and songwriters. The result is Get There (Barsuk Records), an album filled with vocal harmonies, layered guitars, while songs cover a wide range of emotions. Overall, this is indie pop of the highest order, with two sometimes indistinguishable singers doing what they do best. As Alternative Press wrote, the pair have recorded an album of "gorgeous, perfect, pop". Sounds like a great way to get a jump start on the weekend.

Casbah Presents Minor Alps with opener Dan Wilson on Thursday November 14 at Soda Bar...Tickets can be purchased here.

Monday, November 11, 2013

The days are getting shorter (daylight time) but the nights still have plenty to offer San Diego music fans. The upcoming week reveals some shows worth attending.

Sweden's duo Deer Tracks play strange yet captivating music...catch them at Soda Bar on Monday...Lord Howler and Chess Wars fill the air with their hard rock at The Griffin...

Thee Oh Sees return to their favorite haunt here, Bar Pink, for a great show on Tuesday...OBN IIIs open the evening...

Wednesday marks the return of the interestingly named band Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin, playing this time at Soda Bar...they recently released Fly By Wire, more indie pop goodness via Missouri...

On Thursday newly formed band Minor Alps, comprised of Matthew Caws (Nada Surf) and Juliana Hatfield (Blake Babies), hit Soda Bar for a Casbah Presents show...FMLYBND and Kiev will be at The Griffin...Melt Banana will be melting faces at the Casbah...

The weekend kicks off with Wild Child, a Minnesota band who just released a great self titled album, at Soda Bar...Nik Turner's version of Hawkwind headlines the Casbah...

Austin troubadour Slaid Cleaves returns to AMSD Concerts, i.e. that Normal Height church, for an acoustic show on Saturday...Autolux will be at the Casbah, Caspian and 65daysofstatic co-headline Soda Bar...

One of my favorite Canadian bands, The Besnard Lakes, stop at the Casbah for a great show this Sunday...Elephant Stone open...highly recommended...

A great week of live music is waiting for those wishing to enrich their lives...head out to a show (or two)...

Watch a video of I Don't Know What To Do With My Hands from Minor Alps below...

Sunday, November 10, 2013

As I said yesterday, the anniversary party at the Casbah was great on Friday night, and made for a very lazy Saturday, but after a night of working with Darren's Van, we're spending the day serving beer at Qualcomm Stadium and will very much be looking forward to tonight's Cults shows at The Irenic, and maybe even make it for Jello Biafra after. Unless we pass out from exhaustion some time before that. Listings are done through Thursday since I had to plan ahead with my time. I got a new phone last week thinking my laptop was gonna be fixed, but it still isn't ready and I don't know that it can be saved. So ugh, #firstworldproblems, I know. Archives are after the jump.

Wow. I've been waiting to
see this act for a while... quirky rhythm drum beats lead the way,
dreamy follow-the-bouncing-ball, english-as-a-second-language
type vocals, with a mostly upbeat wash of guitars or
basses...all of this in one band- DEERHOOF.

I loved their stage set up,
having singer and drummer in front with guitar players or bass
players holding down the back of the stage. Every song seems to
revolve around the drums which punch, click, and drag the controlled noise
between picturesque compelling vocal scenes, one after another.
Just when you think they have departed into the realm of “Jammy
noise”, an outburst of drums suddenly snaps the entire
room into another quiet dreamscape-intimate vocal. Everyone
took a turn at the bass, with one or two guitars. Singer Satomi
Matsuzak's voice sounds a little like a child playing in a sandbox
and singing and doesn't know you are listening. She also sounds
amazingly sharp with her visually stilted rhythms and opaque
melodies. She also does leg kicks above her head when it's her turn
to play the bass.

For the encore she was
trying to teach us to sing like her. “ Come see Da Dum!,...
Come,... Come,... Come see Da dum!” Then the band would stop and
she would say “ It's a pattern, ok??” We tried to keep up.

This show could have gone
either way since they have such an extensive catalog with divergent material. It was great. Everything you want from them and a little more (maybe that you don't want.) Of course they
don't play their radio “hit,” “The Trouble With Candy Hands".
But they do play some of their best material off the most recent
albums (“Breakup Song,” and “Deerhoof vs. Evil") and some
more obscure songs, too. They also mix in an indie-prog-rock version of
“I Don't Want to be a Pinhead No more!” and an appropriately poignant version
of The Velvet Underground's “ All Tomarrow's Parties” to shatter
our expectations.

The VU song was cute (since
another member of that band died lately) with Satomi appearing to
read the lyrics from a hand written sheet given to her on stage by
another band member. Everyone clapped, and she smiled.

Before the encore, the
drummer took the mic for an enjoyable extended rambling stand up
comedy interaction with members of the audience. Nice.

There is no place I would
rather see live music then at North Park's Irenic, with it's soaring
spacious ceilings and it's middle 1940's charm. More please. I can't
wait to see them again.

BTW ... I really got a
chance to know people while waiting in the merch line, because the
drummer who was selling their merchandise was also taking the chance
for long form conversations with each of the dozen or more people who
were picking up vinyl, shirts, and compact discs in the line in
front of me. Seriously... buy your shirts and move to the
side, we all want to buy. Special thanks to whatever member of
Cuckoo Chaos and GF helped me to pass the time in the SLOWEST MERCH
LINE EVER.

Saturday, November 09, 2013

What a night! Thanks to everyone who came out to the Casbah last night. It was really fun hanging out on the patio and seeing so many friends. It was also fun hanging with Robin, Sean, and Jakey after the show at Rudford's. It had been way too long since we had a late night hang. There are some great shows tonight but I'll be working with Darren's Van and then hitting the hay early because we're beertending at the Chargers game tomorrow. (The irony of this new occupation isn't lost on me.) Hope everyone is having a great weekend and enjoying the last few days of San Diego Beer Week, too. Weekend archives after the jump.

Thursday, November 07, 2013

Portland based indie folk rock band Blitzen Trapper are returning to San Diego this Saturday for a show at the all ages Porter's Pub on the UCSD campus. For those uninitiated with the band, folk, americana, alt-country and indie rock are all styles found in their music. Formed back in 2000, Blitzen Trapper recently released their seventh full length album, appropriately titled VII. This marks the group's first release on Vagrant Records. The songs really are mostly what we have come to expect, and there is nothing wrong with that. Being together as a band for over ten years is quite an accomplishment in itself. Putting out consistent quality music is something else Blitzen Trapper can be proud of. Led by singer/guitarist/songwriter Eric Earley, the band currently performs as a quintet. Because it is difficult to pigeonhole their multifaceted style, there is no mistaking their sound. When this band wants to kick it up a notch, they can compete with almost anybody. This sort of makes me wonder (and wish) they would do this more frequently. This is music that gets you moving, whether in the form of stomping your feet or clapping your hands.

Alialujah Choir, also from Portland, set the stage. Tickets for the show can be purchased here.

Wednesday, November 06, 2013

Well known San Diego County resident Rob Machado is one busy guy. When not surfing he keeps himself immersed in his foundation, the primary goal being that of helping youth becoming more aware of their role in maintaining a healthy planet. The RMF has many programs, such as healthy food lunches, school greening, environmentally safe recycle bins, and water refill stations at schools. The immediate and long lasting effect of these initiatives can be seen here locally (ten recycling bins were installed at Cardiff beaches in August).

Next Monday (November 11), the 2nd Annual RMF Benefit Concert is taking place in Rob's back yard, so to speak. The Belly Up Tavern is hosting the event, with performances by several world class musicians and other local talent. Topping the list is Jason Mraz, along with John Rzeznik from The Goo Goo Dolls, Run River North and Austin Burns. These artists will be performing acoustic sets to a sold out crowd.

This is certainly going to be a special evening with the proceeds benefiting some great causes. Those wishing to donate to the Rob Machado Foundation click here.

How’s your liver holding up? I know mine is starting to cry “Uncle” but there are still FIVE more glorious days of San Diego Beer Week to go! I’d have to say some of my highlights so far were the Victory at Sea event at Hamilton’s on Sunday, the 50+ IPAs at Toronado over the weekend and the opening night VIP Brewer’s Guild party was fantastic. I managed to hit most of the events I’d planned, and even a couple more that I hadn’t. So what’s good for the rest of the week? Read on after the jump for the things I’ll most be looking forward to. Cheers!

Wednesday November 6, 2013

Mo-stache for Mo-Beer at Belching Beaver Tasting Room (North Park) - This event, sponsored by the San Diego Beer Club meetup group, starts at 7PM in one of NP’s newest craft beer spots and will help raise awareness and money for “Movemeber.” Additionally, Belching Beaver will be offering $1 off pints and $2 off flights for this kickoff event.

Societe Brewing Company Tap Takeover at Societe Brewing - The week long (and very tounge-in-cheek) tap “takeover” continues from my favorite new SD brewery. If you’ve never been to the tasting room, be sure to check it out. Great space, great staff and, of course, really great beers.

HAPPY HOUR W/ RIP CURRENT- SOCIETE - HESS at Hamilton’s Tavern - Three of the newest (and best) SD breweries on one night at the (arguably) greatest craft beer bar in town. Hard to argue with that one! There will be two different flights, one with IPAs and one with stouts and other additional beers available from each brewery as well. Pro Tip: Get both flights! Also, #teamApprentice.

Crooked Stave Brewery Night at Small Bar - Meet the brewer event from the great Crooked Stave out of Denver. Small Bar will have flights available, plus some bottles of the Beer Advocate “world class” rated L’Brett D’Or, a beer that has never been poured outside of the Stave’s tasting room. Whales bruh.

Tyson's Big Ass Barrel Aged Beer Blowout Bonanza! at O’Brien’s Pub - This is a SDBW stand by as OB’s and Tyson bring out all the barrel aged beers they’ve stashed away over the course of the past year to put them all back on at once. The list is HUGE and amazing, but highlights include brews from Firestone Walker, Drakes, Lost Abbey and more.

We Got The Funk! SOUR NIGHT! at Pizza Port Ocean Beach - If Barrel Aged beers aren’t your thing then go to the opposite extreme and get some delicious sours instead. A bunch of Russian River Sours among other breweries and, oh yeah...a little something called CANTILLION KRIEK! Get it.

It has been such a busy week that I barely mentioned that this Friday night, we'll be celebrating the 7th Anniversary of San Diego: Dialed In. I had no plan when I started this little site seven years ago and I've sort of let it follow its own trajectory over the years- writing reviews when people read them, posting photos and video when people wanted to see them, writing long winded diaries when I needed to vent, and lately featuring previews and reviews from a team of music fans who make all of this still possible. Behind the scenes, I juggle my Casbah responsibilities with my daily listings on SoundDiego, am helping get Darren's Van off the ground, trying to staying on top of local politics and launching San Diego: Cycled In to keep up on some bike news, babysitting, taking on a beertending job at Qualcomm Stadium, all the while being in a relationship with a man and his daughter who have in no small way changed my life and priorities. And my laptop is still broken. So things are a little crazy and hopefully you still come here to find out what's going on in this city, even if sometimes my news comes a little slower than it once did. The anniversary party is going to be a great show with Rubblebucket, The Heavy Guilt, and Grampa Drew and the Gutstring Girls at the Casbah and I would love to see some of your pretty faces at the show. Listings for the rest of the week. Wednesday through Friday archives after the jump.

The Casbah is presenting a show tonight (Wednesday) at Soda Bar featuring two of L.A.'s best emerging bands. Since this is a co-headline show, allow me to introduce the bands alphabetically. The Lonely Wild have played San Diego many times and never fail to disappoint. The quintet released their initial full length, The Sun As It Comes, back in April. The album is a result of all the hard work the group put in since forming in 2010. Led by Northern California transplant Andrew Carroll, the songs reveal raw emotion and gentleness throughout the album. This rare combination of energy transforms well in the live setting.

Watch a video of Buried in the Murder below.

The other headline band is Torches, the brainchild of Azad Cheikosman and Eric Fabbro. They released their first LP back in 2012 titled Heads Full of Rust, featuring lush gutars and heavy drums creating a somewhat darker sound which is very accessible. Torches are no strangers to San Diego, having played at various venues here in the past. They recently came out with an EP, If The People Stare.

Watch a video of When You Gonna ? below.

This promises to be one night of great music from bands happy to drive south on Interste 5 and please the fans in San Diego. Tickets ($12) will be available at the door. This is a 21+ event.

Tuesday, November 05, 2013

I am so excited for January 2014. The Casbah will be celebrating 25 years of bringing live music to San Diego. I remember being in high school when it opened and just drooling over the bands who were performing there, and when I finally got into a show, it was to see the amazing Whiskeytown and I was in love with the place. Fast forward 25 years, and I've been to hundreds of shows at the Casbah and other venues where the Casbah has presented shows over the years. The anniversary month is also special to me because Tim Mays hired me back when we were celebrating the 20th anniversary 5 years ago, and I certainly feel lucky every time I walk through the doors. There will be a ton of special shows in January, a limited edition t-shirt designed by Shepard Fairey, and thanks to Todd Gloria's office, January 7, 2014 will be declared Casbah Day in the city of San Diego during the City Council meeting. Below is the first batch of anniversary shows being announced, as well as other shows that have been announced over the past few weeks. Tickets are onsale now unless otherwise noted.

I feel haggard. The other day someone asked me what I do, and I started thinking about my various jobs, and sometimes I feel a little overwhelmed. Then I remember what it was like working in an office all day everyday, and I'm grateful I can get by with my various duties. So yeah, things are good, but I'm beat. Where did all my naptime go? Hopefully I can focus a little better because there are a dozen things I've been meaning to write about and there's all kinds of stuff to be excited about this fall and winter, including some of the big Casbah anniversary month announcements, which you'll see here at 10am today.Tuesday archives are after the jump.

Monday, November 04, 2013

I'm pretty sure the phrase 'better late than never' has an expiration date, but here we go...

Five weeks ago, Kiwi five-piece The Naked And Famous swung through town on a whirlwind of a headlining tour which, starting in September (and continuing through mid-March (with a return to SD scheduled for the day after Valentine's)), saw them cover the majority of the US, open for a few big names, and make an appearance on late night TV. The quickly-sold-out-all-ages-show's line stretched from the box office to Broadway when I dove by around 6 and, being unfamiliar with the opening acts, elected to wait until the headliner's set started to head in. I was greeted by the most elaborate lighting setup I've seen on the HOB stage- it didn't kick in until a few songs into the show, but the second it did the entire floor turned into a massive dance party. If you haven't heard of these guys yet, you will very soon.

The first full week of November shows no sign of slowing down when it comes to quality live shows of the music variety here in San Diego. A closer look reveals some events worth attending.

Canadian pop artist Matt Halverson, aka Teen Daze, headlines Soda Bar on Monday...Graham Nash plays his first of two sold out shows at the Belly Up...

Tuesday brings Active Child (Pat Grossi) to the Casbah...he plays a harp and the music is enchanting...

Casbah Presents two of L.A.'s most underrated bands, Torches & The Lonely Wild, at Soda Bar on Wednesday...well worth attending...Alejandro Escovedo drops by the Casbah for an intimate show...

Crocodiles return to their home town for a great show at the Casbah on Thursday...their latest album, Crimes of Passion, is some of their best work to date...Meat Puppets hit Soda Bar for an intimate affair...

The 7 year anniversary of SDDialedIn is official...Rosemary will be hosting a party on Friday at the Casbah with a terrific lineup...Rubblebucket headlines with The Heavy Guilt and Grandpa Drew offering support...

Portland indie/alt country faves Blitzen Trapper play an all ages show at Porter's Pub on Saturday...

On Sunday Cults are headlining The Irenic (all ages) behind their new release, Static. ...Catch synth pop artist Goldroom at Soda Bar for the late show...

Looks like a great week of music lies ahead for the adventurous music fans here in America's Finest City.

It seems like I wasn't the only one who decided to take the weekend down a few notches after Halloween and all the craziness around town, and hopefully you were able to see some of the awesome bands playing over the weekend, particularly on Sunday. To be honest, my highlight was registering with a chiropractor while at the Dia De Los Muertos festival at Sherman Heights Community Center because part of the reason I've been quieter on the interwebs is because my whole right side just feels like a mess lately and laptopping only exacerbates the problems. So yay. Here's to getting fixed. Monday archives after the jump.

Sunday, November 03, 2013

The first Sunday of November has arrived with an earlier sunset (turning the clocks back last night) and the reality that autumn is truly here, even in San Diego. For those wanting to finish the weekend on a high note, look no further than The Griffin where the Casbah is presenting a great show at the intimate Morena Blvd. venue. Headlining is New York singer/songwriter Diego Garcia, touring to promote his latest album, Paradise. This is a big step forward for Garcia, both personally and professionally. The songs on his latest creation reveal a more confident and contented person.

Listen to the lovely track Sunnier Days below. (courtesy of SoundCloud).

Opening the show tonight are one of L.A.'s newer bands, Kan Wakan. Starting as a threesome but expanding to a seven piece currently, the band recently released its first EP, Forever Found. Soulful vocals backed by an orchestral sound comes to mind when describing the band.

Listen to the track Moving On below. (courtesy of SoundCloud).

This promises to be a wonderful evening of music for those wishing to see two talented acts in an up close setting. Tickets can be purchased in advance here.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year...San Diego Beer Week, a celebration of all things Craft Beer in America’s Finest City. There’s so much to celebrate that Beer “Week” is actually ten days. With 70+ breweries and tons of great beer bars, there is no shortage of great events, tap takeovers, ticketed dinners and of course wonderful tasting rooms to visit.

The list is much, much too large to attempt posting here, but I’ll run down some of the highlights and particularly those that are on my personal radar. There’s no single exhaustive list, but head over to San Diego Beer Week’s official site for a calendar of most events. Also check out SDBWplanner’s great mobile site for checking the event list while on the go. Some bars keep their own schedules, so be sure to check out websites of your favorite spots as well so you don’t miss any cool happenings. And of course, Taphunter and the West Coaster are great resources for additional info on beers, breweries and tap lists all year round.

Anyway, on to my picks and can’t miss events over the first five days after the jump. (I’ll post the remainder of of my SDBW top picks on Wednesday.) Be sure to find me at any (or all) of these stops so we can kick one back together! Cheers!

I'm a little bit embarassed to admit that I was in bed by 9pm last night. Darren and I had a big date night Wednesday and I'll just say, it ain't easy keeping up with Mike Beebe. We went to the early Casbah show with Federico Aubele, then met up with The Beebe at Ritual Kitchen, then popped into Toronado, and closed the night at Red Wing for karaoke. Fun times, but Thursday was non-stop go go go as we carved pumpkins at the Casbah, and ran errands which ultimately ended with us Trick-or-Treating in La Mesa near Nova's school. I got home around 8:30 with the intent to go to SoundDiego Live, and then completely zonked out until about 11, at which point going out was just not going to happen. I have a lot of catching up to do but that may or may not happen this weekend, but for those of you who have asked, the 7th Anniversary of this site is just around the corner, and I've hijacked the Rubblebucket, The Heavy Guilt, and Grampadrew show at the Casbah on November 8 to celebrate. This one is going to sell out, so don't wait to grab tickets. It's Beer Week and Dia De Los Infantes/Muertos this weekend, so get out and have some fun, and as always, Darren's Van will be in service, so call him at 619.990.5064 if you need him.